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- Music Review: Top 10 Albums of 2022 – Part 2 - 24 December, 2022
John Preston picks his top seven tracks of the week.
Yaeji, ‘For Granted’
Gradual increments in Yaeji’s career trajectory over the last decade find the dance artist edging closer to full- on pop. The early 00s production style, with TLC and Darkchild vibes and pristine melodies, result in her most accessible and commercial music to date. But then there’s the sudden and violent drum ‘n’ bass that dominates the song’s final minute, and Yeaji artfully pulls the rug out from everyone’s expectations.
Miya Folick, ‘Get Out Of My House’
Miya Folick returns with major intent and a rollicking, more lo-fi sound that serves to strip away some of the expectations created by her earlier, more electronic work. This single announces an artist reborn and reinvigorated. It will be exciting to hear how this young artist follows her excellent 2018 debut when its follow-up, Roach, is released in the spring.
Tennis, ‘Forbidden Doors’
Tennis are an American husband and wife duo who indulge in a kind of fuzzy whimsy is rooted in a late-70s, soft radio pop with an increasingly exaggerated disco trim. ‘Forbidden Doors’ sounds effortlessly laid back but kicks hard – with a melody and vocal performance that dig deep.
Ladytron, ‘The Night’
On their seventh album Time’s Arrow, Ladytron are less interested in re-inventing the wheel than refining a sound which is completely theirs and instantly identifies them. ‘The Night’, for example, is one of the band’s most club-ready, relevant tracks, and yet it’s entirely in-keeping with Ladytron’s trademark sound and their refusal to follow trends.
Debby Friday, ‘I Got It (featuring Uñas)
The Toronto artist Debby Friday is a name to look out for, at least if charismatic, indie artists who refuse to be musically pigeonholed and delight in chaotic genre mashups are your bag. ‘I Got It’ is a thrillingly riotous dance floor celebration, which is both assertively commanding and massive fun.
Young Fathers, ‘….Shoot Me Down’
Young Fathers return with their fourth album Heavy Heavy and continue to exist in their entirely self-sufficient world which continues to revolve around sublime production, wall-of-sound architecture and melodic, sometimes disturbing and often avant-garde, samples and loops. An excellent Scottish band that we are very lucky to have.
RAYE, ‘Body Dysmorphia’
RAYE finally releases her debut album 21st Century Blues following several years’ worth of interesting, diverse and frequently brilliant pop singles and EPs. Her full-length is a cohesive and polished collection of songs which still allows for experimentation and spontaneity in tracks like the staccato and unsettling ‘Body Dysmorphia’.
